Glaciers (Argentina)
It has to be one of the most dramatic natural sights I have ever seen. There was no real hint of it before hand. Then suddenly piece by piece a glacial wall collapsed in front of me. Quite astonishingly I was filming the event at the time. A wonder of nature.
Getting close to the wall is also easy. Boats trips operate from the visitor centre on at the port which can be accessed just before you reach the end of the road. One of the small huts you see on arrival in the huge car park will sell you a ticket on the next available sailing, There are plenty during the day.
A two hour drive north of El Calafate, some of it on unmade roads, is the small town of El Chaltén where more glaciers can be found dominated by mount Fitzroy, much beloved by the tourist brochures.
It is generally straight and although it passes into the National park, there is no charge here.
From timid red foxes to Andean Flamingoes there was an abundant form of wildlife. My personal favourite was the skunk. This is not a remarkable animal compared with giant raptors or the fox but this was the first I had encountered in the wild. Less timid than many mammals, with a cautious movement towards it, the skunk could be captured by the camera.
In retrospect I could have spent more time here. Happily it is not going anywhere and the area is not overwhelmed by tourism but numbers are very much higher across the months of December, January and February. These images were taken from my trip in October.
The base for the glaciers is the southern Patagonian town of El Calafate. There are frequent flights to the nearby airport from Buenos Aires and Ushuaia.The nearest glacier is Perito Moreno which is a little under an hour's drive from the town. There are plenty of organised coach trips too. Reaching the base of the glacier is easy along one of the best roads Argentina possesses. There is a small charge to enter the National Park area. It is worth it. At the end of the road the visitor area is well laid out with walkways allowing tourists to many vantage points of the glacier.
The first thing you notice is the noise. Quite frequently there will be a mighty groan. This is the compacted ice moving within the glacier. It is strangely haunting. The collapse which I filmed occurred on the second day but on the first visit there was still evidence of glacial collapse.
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| Perito Moreno by boat |
The whole area is stunning flanked on one side by the plains of Patagonia teeming with cattle and sheep. On the other the grand peaks of the Andes tower above with their snow encrusted peaks. It is from one of these that Perito Moreno glides gently off the mountain and into Lago Argentino.
A two hour drive north of El Calafate, some of it on unmade roads, is the small town of El Chaltén where more glaciers can be found dominated by mount Fitzroy, much beloved by the tourist brochures.
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| Unspoilt unmade highway |
Away from the tourists areas it is possible by car to take the unmade road north out of El Calafate. In truth it's only really used by local traffic and that is it's greatest asset. For away from the prying eyes of visitors this route has a treasure trove of wildlife.
The nature of the road means a sedate 40 mph is the maximum speed that it is comfortable to drive at. Still why would you want to race past unspoilt countryside which promises a surprise on nearly every corner.
The road has a number (15) and terminates at Lago Roca.
It is generally straight and although it passes into the National park, there is no charge here.
The wildlife be it small brightly coloured birds, foxes or swooping high above, mighty eagles. It was simply a visual treat from start to finish.
From timid red foxes to Andean Flamingoes there was an abundant form of wildlife. My personal favourite was the skunk. This is not a remarkable animal compared with giant raptors or the fox but this was the first I had encountered in the wild. Less timid than many mammals, with a cautious movement towards it, the skunk could be captured by the camera.
In retrospect I could have spent more time here. Happily it is not going anywhere and the area is not overwhelmed by tourism but numbers are very much higher across the months of December, January and February. These images were taken from my trip in October.
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